UEFA has rejected a request from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to keep the Republic of Ireland and Israel apart in future competition draws, insisting that such decisions are made on a case-by-case basis with security as the primary factor.

FAI chief executive David Courell said the association asked UEFA after the Nations League draw in February to ensure the two countries would not be paired again. He told reporters UEFA’s response was “very clear”: it would not be possible because Ireland and Israel have “never been in direct conflict”, adding that the “do not draw” list is based on direct conflicts, not public sentiment.

In a statement, UEFA said it “handles every situation very carefully on its own merits and monitors all facts and developments”. The governing body added: “Decisions to avoid certain teams being drawn against each other are made taking into consideration several factors, especially conditions between the two countries leading to structural risks for security.”

The Israel Football Association questioned whether a formal request had ever been made, with communications director Shlomi Barzel saying they were focused on preparing for the matches rather than addressing what he called “baseless claims”. The exchange underlines the diplomatic sensitivity around the upcoming Nations League double-header, which will be played at neutral venues amid significant public controversy in Ireland.

Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson has defended the decision to fulfil the fixtures, saying the team is “playing against genocide, not with genocide”, while the FAI has confirmed it will not host Israeli officials at a pre-match dinner for the “home” game in Serbia. The two sides meet in Group B3 on 27 September and 4 October, with Ireland’s other Nations League match in the window at home to Austria on 13 October.